European Cup Review - Toulon 23 - 8 Leicester Tigers

What a difference a week makes.  After 7 days of hearing the repercussions of a self-proclaimed “fat Italian” banging on about why he left the Tigers, and other rumours of Delon Armitage explaining in rather gratuitous terms why he doesn’t think very much of their fans, it was quite nice to get back to the rugby.  And, after Toulon had surprisingly been physically bullied and tactically out-smarted in the opening fixture against Leicester, it was their turn for pay back at the Stade Felix-Mayol.

 

Delon's brother Steffon set the tone for Toulon with a rampaging run directly from the kick off and they had the Tigers pinned back in their own territory before Leigh Halfpenny slotted a penalty over in the fifth minute to open the scoring.

 

The Tigers - who welcomed lock Geoff Parling back to the starting XV for the first time since September - seemed overawed by the occasion and made basic errors at the breakdown whilst conceding easy yards in the tackle, whilst Owen Williams kicked a restart straight into touch, to contribute to the hosts' early dominance.

 

Toulon got the try they deserved when Ali Williams crashed over from close range after powerful carries from Juan Smith and Maxime Mermoz after 11 minutes and Halfpenny added the conversion and a second penalty to give the hosts a healthy 13-0 lead after 15 minutes. Owen Williams missed a longish kick of his own and then compounded a bad few minutes by conceding cheap field position with a clearance out on the full, which ultimately led to Halfpenny splitting the posts once again. But Welsh fly-half Williams, 22, hit back with a strong break to set up a try for Leicester out of nothing.

 

It was the first time Toulon were placed on the back foot and it was surprisingly easy after Williams weaved his way over the gain line for the ball to be shipped out wide – via fine pass from Julian Salvi – for Blaine Scully to dot down in the corner. Williams' woes with the boot continued, however, as he missed the conversion and they trailed 16-5 at the break.

 

Halfpenny proved he was human by missing a kick from out wide early in the second half and then the Tigers started to grow into the contest, the East Midlanders enjoying the upper hand in the scrum once again, although not to the same extent as the week before.  Full back Mathew Tait showed great awareness to use referee George Clancy as an auxiliary blocker, before racing into Toulon territory, but Niki Goneva wasted the chance by cutting inside when he should have pinned his ears back and gone for the line.

 

That proved to be a key moment as the hosts hit back at the other end, with French centre Bastareaud dashing in under the posts after fly-half Nicholas Sanchez was stopped just inches short after showing super footwork before being hauled down by Ben Youngs. Williams then kicked his first and only penalty of the afternoon for the visitors, but the crowd booed them for being negative and not going for the try.

 

The Tigers struggled to make inroads after that and Toulon comfortably kept them at arm's length to see out the 23 – 8 win although they may be frustrated at not securing a bonus point after dominating for long periods.  But after the week they’ve had, and the criticism that’s come their way, they’ll feel like they righted a few wrongs with that victory.

 

NB  Delon Armitage has been slapped with a 12 week ban for abusing Leicester fans in the fixture at Welford Road.  I can’t comment on how appropriate that ban is as I do not know the precise nature of what was said, but I do know that Mourad Boudjellal has managed to sound like a prize tosser with his comments to the press that he will subject the Leicester fans who gave testimony to legal action.  In one breath he says there is only their evidence, but no formal proof or document (I’m not sure what sort of ‘formal’ proof you can expect to ascertain from a matter like this) and therefore he will be suing the fans for their ‘false testimony’.  If there’s no evidence, how can you show that they were lying, Mourad? You prat.  He almost makes Delon seem reasonable.